Elijah mccoy



(No Model.)

. LUBRIGATOR. No. 383,745.

Patented May 29, 1888.

llNrrsn STATES FFE'CE ELIJAH MCCOY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TOHENRY O. HODGES AND CHAR-LES O. HODGES, OF SAME PLACE.

LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,745, dated May 29,1888.

Application filed July 16, 1887. Serial No. 244,517. (X model.)

[0 iugs, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists of the combinations of devices and applianceshereinafter specilied, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention relates to improvements in lubricating apparatus, such assecured to me by Letters Patent No. 357,491, dated February 8, 1887, andN 0. 363,529, dated May 24, 1887.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a lubricatorattached to the head of a locomotiveboiler and embodying my invention,the lubricator shown being a double lubricator, the parts on theopposite side (not shown) being the exact duplicate of the parts shown,there being on the farther side asimilar equalizingpipe and supplementalsightfeed glass. Fig. 2 shows how the tallow-pipes are connected withand the oil discharged into the two branches of the steam-pipe whichadmits steam to the two ends of the steanrchest. Figs. 3 and 4 areenlarged views.

Heretofore in locomotive-lubricators havingvisible-feed tubes andprovided with equalizing-pipes, whereby the connection is made betweenthe steam and admission end of the lubricator, or the steam-pipe leadingthereto and the oil-discharge conduit, difliculty has been experienced,by reason of oil under certain circumstances passing over from onesight-feed tube through the equalizing'pas' sage and off therefrom tothe other cylinder, thus discharging all of the oil from both sightfeedglasses into one cylinder and robbing the other cylinder of its properlubricant. This difficulty has arisen as follows: Suppose we have whatis known as a double sightfeed locomotive-lubricator," in which one ofthe oil-conduits leads off to one cylinder and the other conduit leadsto the opposite cylin 5o der. The engineer seeing the drops of oilpassing through the transparent water-chambers naturally presumes thatthe oil is passing directly to the respective cylinders correspondingwith the sight-feed tubes; but suppose, again, that sediment or otherforeign substance should clog up one of the oil-exit passages, either atits throttling-valve or at some other point, the consequence will bethat steam condensing within the adjacent equalizing-pipe will causecondense water to back up therein, so that oil which would otherwisepass off to its proper cylinder would under this condition of affairsrise up'through the water in the said equalizing-pipe and discharge intothe condenser and pass thence off through the other equalizing-pipe intothe other oil-exit conduit, and thence on its way to the wrong cylinder.Therefore, while the drops are passing through both sight-feed glasseswith apparent regularity the engineer 7c is being deceived and the oilis being fed all to one cylinder.

Itis one of the purposes of this invention to overcome this difficulty,and it is accomplished as follows: A supplemental sight-feed 5 glass islocated in the oil-exit passage at a point beyond the locality where theequalizing-pipe enters the said passage, so that should any oil be seento pass in drops through this supplemental sight-feed glass the engineercan So be absolutely sure that it is passing to the right cylinder, forthere is no other outlet for it beyond this point.

Referring to the drawings, A is the boilerhead of a locomotive; B, itssteanrdome.

G is one of my lubricators. This lubricator is presumed to be a doublelubricator presenting a precisely similar construction upon the oppositeside as that shown in Fig. 1.

D represents the sight feed glass correspond 0 ing to one of thecylinders, and there is upon the opposite side of the lubricator asimilar sight feed glass corresponding with the other cylinder, as shownin the first of my abovementioned patents. it

E is a corresponding equalizing-pipe, where by the pressure within thecondenser or steampipe leading thereto is conveyed over and brought intocommunication with the exit end of the lubricator or oil-exit conduit.Said 10o equalizing-pipeis provided with astop-coclge.

F is the supplemental sight-feed tube, which constitutes one of theessential features of my invention. a a a a represent the usualstopcocks for regulating the supply of oil, steam, and water ofcondensation. It will be observed that it is located in the oil-exitconduit G G between the top of the sight-feed glass D and the part to belubricated. It will also be observed that it is located beyond the pointat which the equalizing pipe or conduit E enters the said oil-exitpassage-that is to say, it is between the point where theequalizing-pipe E enters the oil-exit passage and the part to. belubricated.

H is a nozzle through which oil from the portion G of the oil-exitpassage is obliged to pass, and it issues therefrom in visible drops atthe extremity of the nozzle.

The following parts,'although forming no part of the invention sought tobe covered, are described for the better elucidation of the drawings.

K is an ordinary gage-glass to indicate the relative amount of oil andwater in the reservoir.

L is the pipe which leads free steam to the condenser M.

N is a steam-gage, and P a lamp for throwing light upon the gage.

The operation of the device thus far described will now be understood.Oil passing upwardly through the visible sight-feed glass D will passonward through the nozzle H, and will be observed to fall in visibledrops through the supplemental sight-feed glass F, and after havingpassed this point there is no opportunity afforded for it to gootherwise than directly to the cylinder. On the other band, should astoppage occur at any point before reaching the nozzle H it would beindicated by the fact that the drops would cease to flow downwardthrough the supplemental sight-feed glass F,while they might, under thecircumstances above related, continue to rise through the sight-feedglass D, and thenceup through the equalizing-pipe E, and off to theother cylinder. The supplemental sight-feed glass, therefore, underthese circumstances proves an unfailing monitor to show the engineerthat oil is not passing to his cylinder. On theotherhand, should astoppage occur in the portion G of the oil-exit passage, or at any pointbeyond the supplemental sight-feed glass, this diffieulty would at 011ccbecome apparent, because the oil would back up and fill the supplementalsight-feed tube F, and the engineer could at once remedy the difficulty.So, also, should the portion G of the oil-exit passage become partiallythough not completely obstructed this difficulty would be at onceapparent, from the fact that there would be a less number of dropspassing off through the supplemental sight-feed glass than are observedpassing up through the sight-feed glass D, which would at once put .theengineer upon his inquiry to determine and correct the trou- Thisportion of my invention-ethat is to say,

the employment, as described, of a supplemental sight-feed glass-isapplicable to any of the various forms of sight-feed lubricators forlocomotive or analogous uses that employ equalizingpipes which tap theoil-exit passage between the sight-feed glass and the part to belubricated; and I do not limit myself, therefore, in its use to theparticular form of my lubricator shown in the drawings, nor to any otherparticultar style of device.

I will now proceed to describe other features of improvement.

I is an auxiliary steam pipe connecting the equalizing-pipe above thesupplemental sight-feed glass and leading down below or beyond the saidsupplemental sight-feed glass, at which point it leads into the oil'exitcon; duit. This is provided with a globe-valve or stop-cock, I. Thepurpose of this auxiliary pipe is as follows: Suppose the supplementalsight-feed glass F should become broken, or that an accident shouldhappen to the visible-feed tube D, or that the passage G should becomeimpeded, so as to necessitate the feeding of oil through the slush-cupJ. In this event the oil-exit passage G might become impeded by the oilbecoming congealed, or by sediment or otherwise, in which case thestop-cock Icould be opened and free steam would pass through theequalizing-pipe and the auxiliary pipe I, and so form a blast or currentof steam through the pipe G and cleanse the same. Moreover, it wouldenable the engineer to use this jet of steam for the purpose ofpropelling the charge of oil forward through the pipe G to the cylinder.Again, the slush-cup J, which in my former patent was located at a highand inconvenient altitude, is in my present device brought down to apoint substantially on a level with the lower or discharge end of thesupplemental sight-feed glass, so as to be within easy access.

In my former patent, No. 363, 529, the oil-exit conduit discharged itsoil into the steam-pipe which leads steam from the dome to thesteamchest, but in such locality adjacent to the valve-surfaces to belubricated that the oil was not wasted in the lubrication of surfacesupon which there was no wear. I show in Fig. 2 the arrangementof thesteam and oil pipes, with branches j j leading to opposite ends of thesteam-chest or valve-chamber, and in such a construction I would usuallylocate an oil-jet in each branch, as indicated at J in said Fig. 2.

In the construction shown the equalizing pipe leads into the oil-exitpassage at a point immediately over the supplemental sight-feedglass.This, while convenient and eifectual, is not absolutely essential, forit may tap the exit-pipe at any point between the supplementalsight-feed tube and the reservoir. By bringing the equalizing-pipe in atthe point shown the steam serves as a jet to impel the mixture of steamand oil forward through the exit-passage G.

This invention comprehends a construction IIO in which the equalizingpipes or conduits are located outside of the lubricator proper, asshown, or located partly within and partly without, or wholly within,the body of the lubricator, all of which forms are well known in themarket. This supplemental sight-feed may be arranged to permit the oilto rise through the water or to drop through an air or vapor space. Thelatter I prefer, because the location of the equalizingconduit betweenit and the oil-reservoir might otherwise seriously impair its properaction.

At 6 (shown more in detail in Fig. 4) is a bushing seated in the end ofone of the fittings e a, into which the glass tube projects, so thatwhen the packing-nut Ois loosened the packing and this bushing may beslipped down along the glass tube, and the glass tube may be lifted outof the lower section and tilted to one side, so as to be removed fromthe lubricator, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, and

without the necessity of the usual openings opposite the end or ends ofthe glass tube, whereby it is ordinarily introduced into place. Thenozzle H is connected to a removable plug or dam, H, so that access canreadily be had to the interior of the conduit G, and this constructionalso facilitates the coring and casting of the piece. The bushing (1 isclearly applicable in gageglasses and other localities where glass tubesare employed.

The bushing is adapted to fit down upon the interposed packing, and theorifice through the bushing is considerably smaller than. the orificeagainst which the bushing is seated, so as to leave greater space aboutthe glass when the bushing is slipped down over the glass.

"What I claim is- 1. The combination,with a sight-feed lubricator havingan equalizing-conduit which taps the oil-exit passage between thesight-feed glass and the part to be lubricated, of a supplemental sightfeed tube located on the o1l-ex1t pipe between the part to belubricatedand the said equalizing-conduit, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

2. The combination,withadouble locomotivelubricator having sight-feedtubes and equalizing-conduits corresponding with each cylinder, andwhich each taps its corresponding oil-exit passage between thesight-feed glass and the part to be lubricated, of supplementalsight-feed tubes located on each oil'exit passage between the pointtapped by the equahzing-conduits and the said cylinders, substantiall yas described.

3. A sight-feed lubricator having an equalizing-conduit and asupplemental sight-feed tube, said equalizing-conduit opening into theoil exit pipe adjacent to the entrance end of 60 the said supplementaltube, substantially as described.

4. The combinatiomwith a sight-feed lubricator having a supplementalsight-feed tube and an equalizing-conduit tapping the oil-exit passagebetween the reservoir and said supplemental sight-feed tube, of aslush-cup and cutoff valve located at the discharge end of said1ast-named tube, substantially as described.

5. The combination,with a sight-feed lubricator having anequalizing-conduit, of a sup plemental sight-feed tube, through whichoil led to its top is caused to drop, substantially as described.

In testimony whcreofI sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

ELIJAH MCCOY.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODoeHERTY, SAMUEL E. THOMAS.

